[An educational group talk on caring for a child that prepares families for their discharge from the maternity unit: An evaluation and proposals]

Abstract

Introduction: An educational group talk on caring for a child is offered to all parents as part of their preparation for being discharged from the maternity unit. A nursey nurse and a childcare assistant lead a group of parents on the following themes: the rhythms of a newborn, sleeping, feeding, and caring for a child. Videos and leaflets are used as teaching aids.

Method: 100 parents completed a satisfaction questionnaire that also questioned their sense of competence.

Results: 80% of parents were totally satisfied with the session but only 52% felt fully competent when it came to taking care of their child. This figure was at 69% for sleeping, 71% for temperature, and 57% for preventing infections and accidents. Mothers' satisfaction with participation was significant (p<0.013) for primiparous women (n=46) if they were listened to about their concerns. The same was true for multiparous women (n=35) if they were able to express themselves freely (p<0.018) by sharing their experiences.

Discussion: This educational group talk that prepares families for leaving the maternity unit must evolve into a sharing by the group of knowledge and practices where care-givers remain guarantors of their validity. It helps parents to develop child care skills for a more confident return home. The above-average sense of self-efficacy demonstrates the benefits of this method of family health education.